Arabic/Islamic Culture
Bibliography,
600-1600

copyright 1998 by Historical Novelists Center

Islam has considerably more adherents than Christianity, all
around the world, so one cannot exactly speak of Islamic culture.
This bibliography concentrates on the periods and eras of the
Islamic empires of the Mideast, which spread as far west as Spain
and eastwards as the Mogul Empire of India, not to mention into
Central Asia.

We hope people using this bibliography will come to a greater
realization that Islam is not Islamacism, and that many practices
associated with 21st century Moslem countries were unknown to
and even condemned by the Prophet Mohammed, PBUH.

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Falk, T.

Treasures of Islam ****
Artline, 400 pg
A wide range of Islamic art and design, from the 7th to 19th
centuries. T2/3

Glubb, J. B.

The Great Arab Conquests ***
Barnes & Noble
Covers the initial eruption out of Arabia, to 680 CE. T2

von Grunebaum, G. E.

Classical Islam: A History, 600-1258 ***
Barnes & Noble
A good basic history for the development of Islamic empire and
its interrelationship with Christian Europe. T1

The Medieval Warhorse from Byzantium to the
Crusades ****
Sutton Publishing Ltd., London, 1994; index and bibliography
Actually through the Crusades, and she covers the
Islamic horses and horse care very well -- as one might expect
from someone who runs Arabic horses in endurance races. T2

South Arabia: Arena of Conflict YY
Frederick A. Praeger, Publishers, NY, 1968; 196 pg, index, "Short
Bibliography," 3 maps
Primarily about the emergence from British rule, the opening
chapter recaps ancient and medieval history, with the tribal
names, so you know which ones to hunt in other sources. T1

The worst book out by Osprey still gets three stars. The best
are five stars and a bang. These are each a dense, military monograph
on weapons, tactics, strategy, and history, with some little
cultural background. Rarely at libraries, you will usually find
these where military miniatures are sold. T2

Armies of the Muslim Conquest; #255

Armies of Islam 7th-11th Century; #125

Saladin & the Saracens, #171

The Mamluks 1250-1517

Ottoman Turks 1200-1774, #140

Pickthall, Marmaduke

The Meaning of the Glorious Koran *****!
Barnes & Noble, 464 pg
Christians always translate the Bible into the local language.
Muslims will always tell you that the Koran can only be really
understood in Arabic, which language converts learn into order
to study the Koran. This book may be the best way to approach
this center point of Islamic life without learning Arabic. T1

Qazi, Mohammed A.

What's in a Muslim Name ***
Kazi Publication, Chicago; 1990
Small book with big lists of personal names for those converting
to Islam, or who need to name the new baby, but there is no reference
to traditional rather than modern usage, or to eke-names. Also,
is very hung up on sexist differentiation of definitions of names:
a woman cannot be your "backer" she must be a "backeress,"
though many names are unisex. T1

Rice, David Talbot

Islamic Art ****
Wonderful introduction to the styles of pottery, metalwork, fabrics,
architecture and decorations like brickwork, stucco, mosaic,
and tile. Hunting palaces as well as mosques, tombs and city
gates. T1

Rodgers, William Ledyard

Naval Warfare Under Oars, 4th to 16th Centuries;
A Study of Strategy, Tactics and Ship Design ***
1940, 1967; now from Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 1990;
358 pg, index; at the end of each chapter, Authorities Chiefly
Consulted
Chap. II is "The Naval Wars with the Saracens" by the
Byzantines; other chapters carry forward to the Italian wars
with the Turks, like Lepanto. Orientation is European Christian,
but this will tell you what sort of ships were being used. One
of the only books we have found covering the Islamic navies at
all. T3

Salmonson, Jessica Amanda

The Encyclopedia of Amazons: Women Warriors
from Antiquity to the Modern Era *****!
Paragon House, NY, 1991; 290 pg, no index, bibliography
Lists those who fought for and against Mohammed, P.B.U.H., and
defended the faith in later years, including the Mogul empires.
T2

Music

Lady Melisande refuses to dig to the very back of her deep
closets to get complete discographic materials on her Middle Eastern
LP collection, but provides the following from her tapes of them.
Many of these records did not list the performers, and those are
listed first.

Evening by the Nile with Jodette ***
From a dance-teacher's supply catalog, this features Egyptian
music.

How to Make Your Husband a Sultan, with Özel Turkbas
****
I recommend this LP primarily because it highlights how very different
Turkish music is from Arabic music, even to the time signatures.
The belly dancers dress differently, too, preferring the "ruffled
curtain" skirt and hand covers.

Middle Eastern Modern Music Instrumental ****
Cheapo cover on this LP, but good music inside.

Music & Melodies of the Arab World, Egypt (U.A.R.)
*****!
An all-time favorite, which may have been on Nonesuch, but don't
bet anything important on that. Very authentic, all non-western
instruments.

The Music of Morocco *****!
This is definitely from Nonesuch, and is recorded live in Morocco.
There are street musicians in town, then a Berber folk music festival
recorded up in the mountains. Exceedingly atmospheric and authentic.

Cheikh el Afrite

Succes de Cheikh el Afrite ****
LP from France of a Moroccan pop group that shows how the ancient
sound persists in everyday life.

Kouyoumjian, Yousef

Baghdad Cabaret ***
This LP includes a long dancer's cut, but many shorter songs in
the Iranian style.

Mohammed el-Bakkar

Port Said *****!
All Egyptian songs, not a dancer's record, robust and appealing
delivery by a performer who was once almost the only Middle Eastern
musician available in regular stores. LP

Music of the African Arab *****!
These songs have their own distinctive rhythmic base, from west
and south of Egypt, and do not sound quite Middle Eastern to the
sensitive ear.

Saba, Maroun

Live from the Fez ***
LP from a cabaret featuring belly dancers in LA, but notable for
its variety of songs. I was told this was primarily Lebanese.

Vali, Gus

Let's Belly Dance **
All instrumental LP, with clarinet lead giving it that urban,
modern edge.

Belly Dance Naval Academy ***
Two LP's of the same, boxed with the book, The Compleat
Belly Dancer which is modern and American, but better than
nothing.

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Websites

Ancient World Web *****!

http://atlantic.evsc.virginia.edu/julia/AncientWorld.html

Superb linksite, which it would be silly to try and duplicate
here. Especially fine for including Asian, American, and African
sections, not just Europe and the Near East.

Just to warn you off. Also known as "Arab World in Spain,"
this is a site to promote historical tourism in Andalusia. No
info for us. Of course, if you are planning on travelling there
to see the Alhambra, by all means check in with these people so
you don't miss the lesser-known sites and all the museum exhibits.
The opening is a single huge detailed time-swallowing graphic.

Link intentionally omitted

H-GIG Historical Times & Places ***

http://www.ucr.edu/h-gig/topperindex.html

A thorough-going linksite maintained by the University of California
at Riverside, H-GIG sorts by area, by era (ancient, Medieval,
early Modern, Modern, and 20th C), or by topic (military, women,
etc.). It's a good place to start a hunt for books and essays
online.

Halsall is collecting texts in translation, and also providing
links to other sites like Berkeley, so as not to duplicate effort.
This huge initial page links internally and externally to a list
of period works, from the late Byzantine-early Christian age to
the early Renaissance. Wonderful source, attractive without glitz,
many matrices of approach (e.g., by a topic like women's roles
or by a period). Trying very hard to include areas besides the
sphere of the Latin church, notably Byzantium and Islamic activities.